Shaping tool



Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHAPING IOOL Mary D. Gersh, San Francisco. Calif.

Application December 2'2, 1947, Serial No. 794,190

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in shaping tools, and its principal object is to provide a suitable tool for shaping, alining or bending of automobile doors, posts, sills and rails, although the tool may be used for many different purposes.

' More particularly it is proposed to provide a beam having hook members at opposite ends thereof and a pressure member intermediate the ends so that the hook members may be used for gripping an object at spaced points while the pressure member is used to effect bending stresses.

It is further proposed to provide structural details whereby the pressure member and the hooks, may be interchangeably mounted upon the beam in various operative positions.

It is further proposed to attach the hooks to the beam with freedom of swivelling motion and also with freedom of adjustability toward and away from the beam.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pressure member that i swivelled upon its support and may adjust itself to any crown or curvature met in the surface upon which it acts.

It is further contemplated in the present invention to provide a special travelling block or sleeve on the beam, adjustable to various positions, against which the pressure member is made to operate.

And finally, it is proposed to provide generally a shaping tool of the character described that is extremely light in weight, can be easily handled by one man, and which allows any bending or shaping operation of the character described to be carried out at a great saving of efiort and time.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of my invention will be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a top plan View of my shaping tool,

Figure 2, a side elevation thereof, portions being shown in section.

Figure 3, a sectional detail view illustrating the mounting means for the pressure member, and

Figure 4, a sectional detail view illustrating the mounting means for one of the hooks.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes and modifications may be within the scope of the claims attached hereto 2 without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the main supporting beam is preferably made of wood. approximately 2 x 3 inches in cross-section and of approximately mans height. It is straight from end to end, and may be suitably curved at the ends as shown at 2.

A number of holes 3 extend transversely through the beam, these holes being suitably spaced and preferably including a central hole with three additional holes distributed over the length of the beam on opposite sides of the center hole. The holes are all of the same diameter and each of the holes may be used as an anchoring means for either one of the two hooks to be described or of the pressure member.

In the normal operation of the invention I use two books i and a pressure member 5.

Each of the books is U-shaped and of sufficient size for easy engagement over one edge of the object to be worked on, such as the door of an automobile. One leg 5' of each hook is suspended from or supported by a threaded member 6, terminating in a ball l over which the leg 5 engages with freedom of turning and swivelling movement in all directions, the leg 5' being preferably formed with a socket 8 engaging over the ball 1.

Each of the threaded members '6 is adapted for positioning in any one of the holes 3 in the beam and has a wing not 9 by means of which the clamps i may be drawn towards the beam, the wing nut bearing upon a metal plate In secured upon the beam. The outer leg H of each hook is padded as at E2.

The pressure member 5 is secured upon one end of a third threaded member 53 which is also adapted to be positioned in any one of the holes 3. A sliding block is, made in the form of a sleeve, may be moved over the beam and is formed with opposing holes which may be made to register with any one of the holes 3 in the beam. One of the holes is threaded as at l5 for engagement with the thread of member I3. The outer end of the threaded member carries a suitable handle indicated at 16.

The pressure member 5 is secured to its threaded member with freedom of swivelling movement, preferably in the manner illustrated in detail in Figure which shows the threaded member as terminating in a reduced extension i1 having a groove l8 adapted to receive a split ring I 9 of elastic material which normally projects beyond the periphery of the extension ll, but may be forced into the groove by the pressure of the pressure member 5 which is formed with a hole 20 fitting over the extension ii. When the pres sure member is forced upon the extension the material surrounding the hole forces the ring into the groove, passes the ring, and becomes anchored or locked against the rear edge of the ring as the latter re-expands The hole 29 is countersunk as at 2| to accommodate the projecting endof the. extension [1, and a suitable padding 22; is applied to the underface of the pressure member. Thus, the pressure member may be readily applied by merely forcing the same upon the extension and may be readily removed by the unthreadingof the threaded member which forcesthe pressure member over the split ring [9 in the opposite direction.

The manner of using my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, If an automobile door, for, instance, isto be bent back into its desired contour, the operator engages one of the hooks t over the upper edge of the door, the other hook underneath the betto'medge of the door, with the pressure member disposed over an intermediate portion of the latter,and suitably operates the different threaded members until the shaping device is properly positioned with respectto the door. He then continues turning. the threaded member l3 until thepressure member 5, bearing on the intermediate portion, of the door, has forced the latter backinto the desired shape.

The entire device, as constructed, weighs only about 16 pounds and, can be handled easily by a single person. The hook members are free to swivel and turn in all directions so that they maybe easily attached to any anchoring means that offersitself; The pressure member may be readily shifted from hole to hole in order to produce the desired pressure at the proper point. The pressuremember 5 may be readily removed from its support by merely unscrewing the threaded member 5-3 and may be readily reapplied by merely pushing the same upon the free end of the threaded member. member also swivels on its support and it readily adjusts itself to the surface againstiwhichit is made to bear.

I find that with the aid of this tool I can reduce all shaping operations usually encountered in connectionwith automobile body repair for carrying out by a single operator in a minimum o ftiine and-with a minimumiof eiTort.

The pressure 1 I claim:

1. A shaping tool of the character described, comprising a beam having hooks at opposite ends and having a transverse hole therein, a sleeve slidable on the beam and having opposing holes adapted for registering with the beam hole, a threaded member adapted for passing through the holes and having threaded engagement with the sleeve at, one of the holes, one end of the threaded member having a reduced extension with an annular groove therein and a split elastic ring in said groove normally projecting beyond the periphery of the extension, and a pressure member having a hole fitting over the extension, the margin of the hole being operable for compressing the ring when moved along the extension to-pass thering and for anchoring behind thering when the latter re-expands.

2. A shaping tool of the character described,

comprising a beam havinghoolgs at opposite ends and, having a transverse hole therein, a m etallic member mounted on the beam adjacentv said hole, a threaded member adapted for passing through the hole and havingthreaded engagement with the metallic member, one end of the threaded member having a reduced extension with an,annular groove therein, and a split elastic ring in saidgroove normally projecting beyond the periphery of the extension, and a pressuremember having a hole fitting over the extension, the margin of the hole being operable for compressing the ringwhen moved along the extension to pass the ring and for anchoring behind the ring. when the latter re-expands.

MARY D. GERSH.

REFERENCES CITED The,followingreferences are of record, inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,129,650 Dean Feb. 23, 1915 1,319,434 Tallman Oct. 21, 1919 1,392,971 Samuelson Oct. 11, 1921 1,462,447 Dutro etal July 17, 1923 1,612,287 Bishop July 22, 1930 1,771,287 Bryan July 22, 1930 1,849,228 Furlow et a1. Mar. 15, 1932 2,32 03,05 Smith June 1, 1943 2,340,587 Graham Feb. 1, 1944 

